Paul and Gail A different scenario
by PastNeighbours
Summary: This is a re-write of the day after Rob's accident when Paul left Gail alone to go to the office


"No I have no intentions of coming in today" Paul said into the phone, feeling frustrated and annoyed by Hilary's demands.

"Paul this is no way to run a business" Hilary complained "We have a new temp coming in you have to come in" he heard Hilary say, looking up the stairs he could hear the sound of a door closing.

Paul sighed wanting to get off the phone as quickly as possible "I'm sorry...I have more important things to deal with today" he said

Paul glanced at Gail as she walked downstairs into the living room, guessing who Paul was talking to she rolled her eyes and went into the kitchen. Five minutes later Paul managed to end the phone call leaving Hilary annoyed but he didn't particularly care.

Gail looked at him "What's wrong?" she asked

Paul walked up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulder, feeling her stiffen as he's massaged her shoulders, sighing he realised that there was a brick wall between them.

"It's just Hilary expecting me to go into the office today but I told her I wasn't" he replied

Gail moved away from him slightly "Look you better go in, you've got to keep on the her good side unless she might withdraw her investment and then where will you be" she said

Paul looked at her and shook his head "I'm not leaving you today...not after your fall last night, and I want to go to the hospital with you"

Gail sighed "Look Paul, there's no need, just drop me there and go into work....Gloria will be there" she said

Paul closed the distance between them, taking her hands in his he looked into her eyes, smiling "Gail...you're my wife and I love you, I want to be there for you if you'll let me" he said

Gail nodded, pleased that he was putting her first for once but also slightly wary of how persuasive Hilary could be "Okay" she said

After breakfast they head off to the hospital, Paul sneaks glances at Gail knowing that she's upset about her dad, he also wonders if she blames him. He shouldn't have argued with Rob but the man was a living nightmare at times. On arriving at the hospital, they go to find Rob's room, Gloria is waiting outside, Gail sits down beside her and asks her if there's any news but Gloria replies no but the doctor is with Rob at the moment.

"Let me go and get some coffee" Paul said, as he kneels in front of Gail gently stroking her knee. Standing up he goes in search of a coffee machine while Gail and Gloria wait. Time seems to go by slowly as the two women wait in silence, Gail jumped as she heard the door open beside them. The doctor smiled as he saw them waiting there.

"What's happening?" Gloria asked anxiously.

"Mrs Lewis...your husband has regained consciousness and he's in a stable condition" the doctor replied "He's still under sedation so probably won't be up to talking much"

"Can we see him?" Gail asked

"Well like I said, he's under sedation so one at a time might be better" the doctor said.

Gail looked at Gloria and smiled "You go in" she said "I'll wait here for Paul"

"Okay" Gloria replied as she follows the doctor back into the room.

Gail paced outside the room, wanting to go and see Rob but realising that she had to let Gloria go in first, she saw Paul coming up the corridor and walked towards him.

"Sorry I was so long" he said "Trying to find a decent coffee machine in a hospital is a nightmare. What's happening?"

Gail looked at him, the tears beginning to form "Dad's come around, the doctor says he's going to be fine" she said

"That's great" Paul said relieved, placing the cups of coffee on a nearby seat he took her in his arms.

"Gloria's with him now, we could only go in one at a time" Gail said

As they pulled apart, Paul looked at her "I'm sorry about the argument" he said

"I know" she replied

Gail sensed that Paul was restless and sighed knowing that he was probably in a hurry to get back to work. "Hey, why don't you go to the office, I can wait with Gloria" Gail said "There's no need for you to stay here....I know how busy you are"

Paul shakes his head "I'm not leaving you here alone, come on let's see if we can get some decent coffee in the canteen, Gloria will probably be a while so we can ask the nurse at the nurses' station to let her know where we are when she's ready" he said

Gail smiles weakly "Okay" she says as Paul places his arm around her shoulder, Gail slips her arm around his waist, needing to feel the closeness of him. When they arrive at the canteen, Gail goes to sit down while Paul orders some coffee. The canteen is empty as it's still early. Five minutes late Paul places the coffee mugs on the table and sits down opposite Gail, he takes her hands in his and subconsciously plays with the rings on her fingers. Gail remains quiet, neither one sure what to say.

"I'm glad Rob's going to be okay, I know I shouldn't have argued with him" Paul said breaking the silence. "But Rob shouldn't have got involved with stolen parts"

"He may not have known they were stolen" Gail replied, but she knew her father well enough to know that he probably had.

Paul remained silent.

"Okay" Gail said "But I thought he had changed, stopped getting into situations that only brought trouble...what's going to happen now?"

"Don't worry I'll sort it" Paul said

Gail looked away "You must regret getting involved with me and dad at times, it's brought nothing but trouble" she said sadly

Paul stroked the side of her cheek, causing her to look at him, smiling he replied "How can I regret falling in love with you" he said "I just wish Rob would think before he acts, he's forever letting you down"

Gail looks down into her coffee mug as the tears start to flow, Paul stands up and walks around the table to sit next to her, pulling her into an embrace, he gently rubs her back, trying to soothe the silent tears.

"I'm scared" she said as she looked up at him.

Paul looked at her curiously "Of what?" he asked

Gail sighed, trying to control her tears she replied "Of not being able to cope with the babies, the fact that I'm losing you to the Robinson Corporation...we should be united, looking forward to the birth of the babies that we've wanted for so long but instead we're drifting apart.

Paul held her tightly "Hey come on, we will both cope with the babies, and don't forget my family are nearby not to mention Rob and Gloria...it will be fine. Gail I want these babies as much as you and I know things have been difficult lately, mostly because of the time I've been spending in the office but I promise you that is going to change. I'm going to see if I can find someone to run the company for a while, hire some new office staff so that I can take a backseat " he said kissing her hair.

Gail pulled away slightly and looked at him "You know Hilary is not going to like that" she said

Paul just smiled and raised his eyebrows "Like she didn't like the fact that I refused to go into the office today, to be honest I don't care, if she threatens to take away her investment we still have the money to buy her out" he said

"I thought you were looking at investing that money?" Gail said

Paul shook his head "I was but then I got to thinking about our growing family and the fact that we really do need to get rid of some of our debt, so that's what that money is for. I figured you were right...although I know which debt I'd like to pay first" he said

"The mortgage on the house" Gail said, hoping that she and Paul were on the same wavelength.

Paul sighed "Yeah..but I hate having to pander to Hilary all the time" he said

Gail smiled, kissing him tenderly she said "Thanks for today...I know how busy you are"

"Hey I'm never too busy for you" he replied "How about we go back and see what's happening with your dad, maybe you can see him for a bit and then we can go home, you need some rest...you hardly slept last night"

Gail smiled "Okay" she replied, standing up, taking Paul's hand. Gloria was coming out of Rob's hospital room as they approached. Smiling Gloria told them that Rob was fine but sleepy and that Gail could go in and see him for a while as he was asking for her. Paul waited outside while Gail walked into the room.

"What's going to happen now?" Gloria asked Paul as she sat down

Paul sat down beside her, keeping his voice low he replied "Nothing...just have to find a way out of this mess...I'll speak to dad and see what he suggests"

"Rob was only trying to help" Gloria said as tears filled her eyes.

Paul took her hand and sighed "I know but unfortunately he goes about it the wrong way...just wish none of this had happened." He said

Ten minutes later, Gail walked out from her dad's room, saying that he had gone back to sleep. Paul offered Gloria a lift home but she said she wanted to stay. After saying goodbye Paul put his arm around Gail and guided her to the car, she remained silent on the drive home.

"How about you go and get some rest" Paul said as they got out the car.

Gail nodded "I'm feeling tired" she said

"You didn't get much sleep last night" Paul said, as he put his arm around her, Gail leaned into him.

"Are you going back to the office" she asked

Paul shook his head "No" he said "I want to stay close to you today, make sure you're alright"

As Paul opened the door, Gail walked in.

"Do you want anything to eat?" he asked

"No...think I might go upstairs for a bit...see if I can get some sleep" she said, looking at him she saw he seemed anxious, smiling she kissed him "I'm fine"

Paul watched her go, still feeling the distance between them, "I'll make you a drink" he called out.

Gail didn't reply, she felt worn out, on entering their room she felt a sharp kick from one of the babies, she gave a sigh of relief, Beverley had told her last night that the babies were fine but she was still concerned after the fall she had. Closing the curtains in the room, she turned back the covers and climbed into bed, laying down she closed her eyes. Paul found her asleep when he brought her a drink up, kneeling beside the bed he gently stroked her face, and planted a kiss on her cheek. Watching her sleep he knew things had to change, there was a rift between them, and he'd been working too hard and neglecting her. Deciding that she needed to sleep, he kissed her again before picking up the coffee mug and going back downstairs.

Half an hour later, the front doorbell rang, Paul hurried to answer it before it disturbed Gail.

"Paul...I saw you drive up" Helen said smiling "How is everything?"

Paul opened the door wider and Helen stepped inside, going to sit down on the sofa.

"Rob is going to be okay" Paul said "Gail's upstairs asleep, she's shattered"

"Hardly surprising" Helen said "What about you?"

"I'm fine" he replied

"I had a phonecall from Hilary" Helen said "She was annoyed that you hadn't gone into work, she said that's no way to run a business, she asked me to come and tell you she expects you in the office this afternoon"

Paul rolled his eyes and sat down, placing his face in his hands "Gran....you know sometimes I wish I had never asked her to invest in the company, wish I had sold it" he said

Helen moved closer to him and put her arm around his shoulder "You made the right choice today" she said quietly.

"Gran I'm scared I'm going to lose her" Paul said, tears forming in his eyes. "I saw her face last night when they brought Rob in, she blamed me for the accident, when Beverley was checking her over after the fall, she screamed at me to get out of the examination room, she didn't want me near her"

"Paul these last few months have been bad, you've been working too much, she's had to step away from the Corporation and you haven't spent that much time together" Helen began

"Forgetting her birthday didn't help matters either" Paul said "How could I have been so stupid"

"You had other things on your mind" Helen said

Paul looked at her and shook his head "But she should be the most important thing to me...I mean she is the most important thing in my life, but I've got Hilary constantly breathing down my neck making demands about the Robinson Corporation and her investment" he said

"You need to hire more office staff, find someone to run it while you take a backseat" Helen said

"I want to" Paul said "I miss the way things were between Gail and me"

"I have a suggestion" Helen said

Paul looked at her curiously

"Ask Rosemary to come and run things for you, I know last time I spoke to her she said that the Daniels Corporation wasn't taking up much of her time"

Paul laughed "Gran she just sold the Australian end of the business to me, she's hardly going to come back here and run it for me while I take time off" he said

"She might..." Helen said

"Hilary won't like that" Paul said

"All the more reason to do it" Helen smirked

"Hey have you got time for a coffee" Paul said standing up and walking over to the kitchen

Sure" Helen said following him "Tell me you're not going back to work today"

"No way" Paul said "I want to be here when Gail wakes up"

"Phone Rosemary...explain the situation and offer her a chance to get away from winter in New York" Helen said

Paul poured the coffee into the mugs, smiling "I will do...all I know is that I want to spend the next few weeks with Gail even if I have to work from home to do that" he said "In a couple of months our lives will change forever"

"That's for sure" Helen replied "But you two need to be united"

"I love her so much" Paul said

A couple of hours later, Paul had rung Rosemary who had agreed to coming to Australia and run the Corporation for a while, he asked her whether she would help arrange more staff for the office. Making another mug of coffee he wandered upstairs to see Gail. She was lying on his side of the bed with her back to him, cuddling his pillow, Paul smiled and crept in beside her, cuddling up to her and kissing her neck, she felt warm.

"Paul" she said groggily

Paul laughed "Who else were you expecting Mrs Robinson" he replied

Gail turned in his arms and looked at him smiling "No one just thought you would have gone back to work by now" she replied

Paul kissed her neck and held her tightly "No...Gran just came over and she made a few suggestions about the office...I've found someone to run it for a few months so that I can take a complete break"

"Who" Gail said making an attempt to sit up

"Rosemary" Paul replied

"You're joking" Gail said "How did you manage that"

"The Daniels Corporation doesn't take up much of her time these days, so she has a bit of free time and I guess the offer of missing New York in the winter and spending some time with Gran was too good to miss...she'll be here the sometime next month, meanwhile I'm going to work from here only going into the office when I have meetings" Paul said

"Hilary's not going to like that!" Gail said

Paul laughed "I guess not" he said "But at the moment I have more important things to worry about than the Robinson Corporation"

Paul kissed Gail and pulled her closer to him "You scared me last night"

She looked at him curiously "Why?" she said "Because of the fall?"

"Partly" he replied "But it was the look on your face, while Beverley was examining you, you didn't want me in there with you, I felt I was losing you, I didn't realise how far we've been drifting apart. Then I got to thinking about the last few months, working late at the office and feeling so shattered that by the time I got home all I wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep. I never realised what you were going through, how lonely your life had become, having to give up work, the court case...I should have been there for you and then forgetting your birthday..that was unforgivable"

"You had a lot on your mind" Gail replied

Paul shook his head "No darling....nothing is more important than you and our children" he said "I want to get back to what we were before we took over the business, I want to go back to the way we were in New Zealand where all we wanted was each other. I love you so much that hasn't changed"

Gail smiled, resting her head on his shoulder; she took hold of his hand "I love you too. Just wished things hadn't changed so much, I thought the children would bring us closer together, but it hasn't" she sighed

Paul smiled, placing his hand on her stomach he laughed when he heard the firm kick of one of the babies "Well I guess last night didn't have too much effect on these three, they seem lively enough" he said "Gail, these babies mean everything to me, we went through so much to have them and I want to make they grow up with as much love as they can handle, with two parents who love each other, the same thing I had when I was growing up. I never doubted that my parents didn't love each other or us, we had the perfect family and that is what I want for us."

Gail saw the tears in his eyes, realising she never really asked Paul about his mum and he had never said anything about her. She wanted to know more about her children's grandmother but now was not the time, kissing him tenderly; she gently wiped the tears formed on his cheek.

Later that day, Paul entered Rob's hospital room alone; Gail had gone to the toilets, the babies playing havoc with her bladder. Rob looked at Paul not knowing what to say.

"You gave us all a scare last night" Paul said, sitting down on the chair beside his bed.

Rob said nothing, Paul continued

"I shouldn't have argued with you, my timing was wrong"

"Guess you'd have like it better if I hadn't survived...less trouble" Rob said bitterly

Paul sighed "No...but I just wish you'd think before you act" he said

"What's going to happen now?" Rob asked "Are you going to go to the police?"

"How can I" Paul said "But I need to find a way to get rid of those stolen parts"

"But I don't have a job anymore, right?"

Meanwhile Gail had returned, hearing Paul speak she remained listening at the slightly opened door.

"Rob by all rights I should go to the police and you should be out of a job, but luckily for you I can't do that. The most important person to me is Gail and I know how much it would hurt her if you went to prison, besides I don't really want my children's grandfather in prison, but this has to stop here...for Gail's sake if no one else's'"

"I've let her down again haven't I" Rob said quietly

Paul looked at him lying in the bed, in one moment all his anger from the night before disappeared "She loves you and worries about you, you're her dad and no one can take that from you. Rob I don't want to fight with you, it upsets her, she's the most important person in both our lives so let's make sure she knows that" he said

"You work too hard, has she let you off the hook yet for forgetting her birthday" Rob said a hint of a smile on his face "Believe me, if I had forgotten her mother's birthday she wouldn't have spoken to me for at least a week"

Paul laughed "I'm working on it..I know she's been feeling neglected but from this moment on she comes first"

Later that night, Paul and Gail snuggled up on the sofa, after spending time with Rob, they had gone for an early dinner at the hotel before going back home.

"I heard what you said to dad tonight" Gail said "Thank you"

"For what" Paul said kissing her hair

"For not getting the police involved, for not sacking him when you should have" Gail replied

Paul laughed "How can I, it would hurt you too much and I don't want that" he said

"Did you mean what you said?" Gail asked

"About what?" Paul replied

Gail looked at him "About me being the most important person in your life" she said

"Do you really have to ask that question" Paul said "What can I say, you're the love of my life, the only woman I've ever truly loved and I will do anything for you...including selling the Robinson Corporation

"You're joking" Gail said

"Nope..if that's what it takes to make you understand how much you mean to me then I'll do it" He said

Gail hugged him tightly and kissed him "We've worked too hard on the company for you to do that" she said

Paul smiled "Well from this moment on I promise that I'm not going to work all the hours in the day, in fact I will do what I can from here and for the next few months at least I'm dedicating myself to you" he said "So Mrs Robinson are you ready to give us one more chance"

Gail smiled, kissing him tenderly "Yes...there's no one else I want to be with."


End file.
